U.S. patent application number 10/855833 was filed with the patent office on 2005-12-15 for cylindrical heat pipe structure.
Invention is credited to Wang, Chin Wen, Wang, Ching Chung, Wang, Pei Choa.
Application Number | 20050274495 10/855833 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 35459287 |
Filed Date | 2005-12-15 |
United States Patent
Application |
20050274495 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Wang, Chin Wen ; et
al. |
December 15, 2005 |
Cylindrical heat pipe structure
Abstract
A cylindrical heat pipe structure includes a hollow pipe body. A
working fluid is contained in the pipe body. Several trenches are
formed on the inner surface of the pipe body. The cylindrical heat
pipe structure further includes several rib pillars, which are
powder sintered on the inner surface of the pipe body. The rib
pillars are extended from the inner surface of the pipe body toward
the center of the pipe body. A porous wick structure is formed on
the surface of said rib pillars. The rib pillars are firmly
sintered on the pipe body due to the presence of the trenches. The
presence of trenches may also increase the condensation area,
thereby increasing the condensation performance. The hot air
generated by heat exchanging with the heat source may thus more
rapidly be condensed into liquid. The condensed liquid may also
rapidly move to the porous rib pillar and transfer to the bottom
portion of the pipe body. The overall heat dissipation rate is thus
enhanced.
Inventors: |
Wang, Chin Wen; (Pingjhen
City, TW) ; Wang, Pei Choa; (Pingjhen City, TW)
; Wang, Ching Chung; (Pingjhen City, TW) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Yi-Wen Tseng
4331 Stevens Battle Lane
Fairfax
VA
22033
US
|
Family ID: |
35459287 |
Appl. No.: |
10/855833 |
Filed: |
May 28, 2004 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
165/104.26 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F28D 15/0283 20130101;
F28D 15/046 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
165/104.26 |
International
Class: |
F28D 001/00 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A cylindrical heat pipe structure, comprising: a hollow pipe
body, containing a working fluid, the inner surface of said hollow
pipe body having a plurality of trenches; and a plurality of rib
pillars formed on the inner surface of said hollow pipe, extending
toward the center of said hollow pipe body, wherein a porous wick
structure is formed on the surface of said rib pillars.
2. The cylindrical heat pipe structure as recited in claim 1,
wherein said trenches are radially formed on the inner surface of
said pipe body.
3. The cylindrical heat pipe structure as recited in claim 1,
wherein said rib pillars are powder sintered and firmly connected
to said pipe body.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates generally to a cylindrical
heat pipe structure, and more particularly to a cylindrical heat
pipe for exchanging heat with a heat generating electronic device
(such as a CPU), having a structure to enhance the overall heat
dissipation performance thereof.
[0002] The rapid development of technological industries has
succeeded in developing faster and faster computers. When a central
processing unit is running in a faster speed, the heat generated
during operation becomes higher. In order to dissipate the
generated heat to the exterior of the computer mainframe and to
maintain the central processing unit running under an operation
temperature, a heat dissipation device is normally installed on the
central process unit for assisting heat dissipation, so as to
enhance the heat dissipation capacity. However, the faster a
central processing unit runs, the greater amount of heat is
generated. Conventional heat dissipation apparatus, which is
composed of an aluminum extruded heat dissipater and a heat
dissipation fan, may no longer support sufficient heat dissipation
capacity for the central processing unit.
[0003] Therefore, there is provided a heat pipe design. As shown in
FIG. 1, the heat pipe 10a includes a hollow pipe body 1a, and a
wick structure 2a attached to the inner surface of the hollow pipe
body 1a, wherein a working fluid is contained in the pipe body 1a.
In operation, the heat pipe 10a is connected to the heat
dissipater, and the heat pipe 10a is correspondingly disposed on
the central processing unit. The heat generated by the central
processing unit is absorbed by and thermally exchanged with the
working fluid. The hot air generated after the thermal exchange is
then transferred upward. Since the top portion of the pipe body 1a
away from the heat source has lower temperature, the hot air is
then condensed into liquid at the top portion of the pipe body 1a.
The condensed liquid is transferred back to the bottom portion of
the pipe body 1a along the wick structure 2a for subsequent heat
exchange.
[0004] However, the aforementioned conventional heat pipe comprises
the following drawbacks:
[0005] (a) The wick structure 2a in the heat pipe 10a is only
attached to the inner surface of the pipe body 1a without complete
adhesion. If there is a gap present therebetween, the speed for
transferring the liquid to the bottom of the pipe body 1a becomes
slower. Thus, the heat dissipation rate is not satisfied.
[0006] (b) Since only the top portion of the pipe body 1a acts as
the condensation end, there is not enough area for the condensation
end to rapidly condense the hot air into liquid. Therefore, the
heat dissipation rate is again not satisfied.
[0007] (c) Since only the wick structure 2a is disposed on the
inner surface of the conventional heat pipe 10a, the wick structure
2a may not rapidly absorb the condensed liquid. The heat exchange
rate of the working fluid is thus decreased.
[0008] Therefore, an improved heat pipe that has an enhanced heat
dissipation rate is demanding.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0009] The present invention is to provide a cylindrical heat pipe
structure, the wick structure of which is firmly attached to the
inner surface of the heat pipe so as to enhance the liquid transfer
speed of the wick structure.
[0010] Furthermore, the present invention is to provide a
cylindrical heat pipe structure, wherein the area of the
condensation end in the heat pipe is increased, for rapidly
condensing the hot air generated from the heat exchange with the
heat source into liquid.
[0011] One feature of the present invention is in that the heat
pipe includes a hollow pipe body. The pipe body contains a working
fluid. A plurality of trenches is formed on the inner surface of
the pipe body. The heat pipe further includes a plurality of rib
pillars, which are powder sintered to the inner surface of the pipe
body. The rib pillars extend from the inner surface of the pipe
body toward the center of the pipe body. A porous wick structure is
formed on the surface of the rib pillars. In this manner, the rib
pillars are firmly sintered on the pipe body due to the presence of
the trenches. The presence of trenches also increase the
condensation area, thereby increasing the condensation performance.
The hot air generated by heat exchanging with the heat source is
thus more rapidly condensed into liquid. The condensed liquid also
rapidly moves to the porous rib pillar and transfer to the bottom
portion of the pipe body for subsequent heat exchange.
[0012] Another feature of the present invention is in that the
trenches are radially formed on the inner surface of the pipe body,
while a plurality of rib pillars having wick structure is axially
erected upright in the pipe body. The trenches effectively guide
the condensed liquid to the rib pillars, while the hot air
generated by heat exchange is also upwardly diffused between the
rib pillars.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0013] The above objects and advantages of the present invention
will be become more apparent by describing in detail exemplary
embodiments thereof with reference to the attached drawings in
which:
[0014] FIG. 1 illustrates a cross-sectional view of a conventional
heat pipe.
[0015] FIG. 2 illustrates a perspective view of a heat pipe in
accordance with the present invention, wherein a rib pillar is not
yet formed.
[0016] FIG. 3 illustrates a perspective view of a heat pipe in
accordance with the present invention, wherein a rib pillar is
formed.
[0017] FIG. 4 illustrates a perspective cross-sectional view of a
heat pipe in accordance with the present invention.
[0018] FIG. 5 illustrates a top elevation of a heat pipe in
accordance with the present invention.
[0019] FIG. 6 illustrates a cross-sectional view of a heat pipe in
accordance with the present invention.
[0020] FIG. 7 illustrates an enlarged view of part A in FIG. 6.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0021] Reference will now be made in detail to the preferred
embodiments of the present invention, examples of which are
illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, the
same reference numbers are used in the drawings and the description
to refer to the same or like parts.
[0022] Referring to FIG. 2, a cylindrical heat pipe structure of
the present invention is illustrated. The heat pipe 10 of the
present invention is applicable to a heat generating device such as
a central process unit, so as to dissipate heat on the heat
generating device by means of heat exchange. The heat pipe 10
includes a hollow pipe body 1. In this particular embodiment, the
hollow pipe body 1 is a cylindrical pipe body 1. A working fluid is
contained in the hollow pipe body 1. A plurality of trenches 11 is
formed on the inner surface of the pipe body 1. The trenches 11 are
radially formed on the inner surface of the pipe body 1 (as
illustrated in FIG. 7).
[0023] Referring to FIG. 3, FIG. 4 and FIG. 5, a plurality of rib
pillars 2 are powder sintered on the inner surface of the pipe body
1. The rib pillars 2 are extended from the inner surface of the
pipe body 1 toward the center of the pipe body 1. Each rib pillar 2
stands upright relative to the cylindrical pipe body 1. A porous
wick structure is formed on the surface of the rib pillars 2.
[0024] Since a plurality of trenches 11 is formed on the inner
surface of the pipe body 1, the rib pillar 2 and the trenches 11
are mutually imbedded when sintering the rib pillars 2. The rib
pillars 2 and the pipe body 1 are thus firmly connected to each
other.
[0025] Referring to FIG. 4 and FIG. 6, when the heat pipe 10 is
installed on a heat generating device, the heat generated by the
heat generating device is transferred to the working fluid inside
of the heat pipe 10 by means of heat exchange. The hot air
generated from the heat exchange diffuses upwardly through the
passageways 12 formed by the rib pillars 2 (as shown in FIG. 5).
Since the top portion of the heat pipe 10 is away from the central
processing unit, the temperature thereof is lower, thereby
condensing the upwardly diffused hot air into liquid. The liquid is
then absorbed by the wick structure formed on the rib pillar 2
along the trenches 11 on the inner surface of the pipe body 1.
Furthermore, the liquid is transferred back to the bottom portion
of the pipe body 1 for subsequent heat exchange with the heat
generating device.
[0026] In accordance with the above descriptions, it is appreciated
that the cylindrical heat pipe 10 of the present invention has the
following advantages:
[0027] (a) Since a plurality of trenches are formed on the inner
surface of the heat pipe 10, the rib pillars 2 having wick
structure formed thereon are firmly connected on the inner surface
of the heat pipe 10. The performance of the wick structure is thus
enhanced.
[0028] (b) The upwardly diffused hot air is cooled in the trenches
11. Since the trenches 11 increases the area of the condensation
end of the heat pipe, the performance of condensation is thus
enhanced. Therefore, the hot air generated by the heat source may
rapidly be condensed into liquid.
[0029] (c) Furthermore, the wick structure is homogeneously
arranged on the rib pillars 2 in the heat pipe 2, the overall heat
dissipation performance of the heat pipe 10 is thus enhanced.
[0030] In summary, the cylindrical heat pipe structure of the
present invention may indeed achieve the functions as set forth
above. However, the detailed descriptions above and the accompanied
drawings are for illustrative purposes only. Since, any person
having ordinary skill in the art may readily find various
equivalent alterations or modifications in light of the features as
disclosed above, it is appreciated that the scope of the present
invention is defined in the following claims. Therefore, all such
equivalent alterations or modifications without departing from the
subject matter as set forth in the following claims is considered
within the spirit and scope of the present invention.
* * * * *